"Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers."

Harry Truman

Current Titles

Why should I start a book club?

Inspiration. The liberal arts teach profound lessons about human behavior, the natural world, justice, and diversity. They help us think critically, listen to others, persuade with integrity, and manage ambiguity. They kindle the mind, inspiring both creativity and strength of character. In short, the liberal arts are the ultimate muse.

Contemplation. I curate thought-provoking content that will deliberately pull my clients outside their everyday intellectual lives. Clients read independently, then I lead them through productive discussions about the content and its significance for their work. The process establishes my clients in the essential strategic habits of contemplation, analysis, and interpretation.

Engagement. Book clubs add variety to my clients' work lives, act as a creative catalyst, and bring teams together for invigorating intellectual work. They provide a forum for personal connection and inventive thinking, minus the baggage and linear focus of typical meetings. As such, book clubs are a powerful antidote to boredom and burnout.

Better business. Through these experiences, my clients become uniquely well-rounded leaders. This makes them more agile, informs sound decisions, and catalyzes meaningful creativity - in their own lives, for their organizations, and on behalf of the greater good.

Why do I need a facilitator?

You may not, if you or someone in your office is qualified to lead open-ended discussions about complex materials. As a college professor and an experienced book club leader, I am skilled at leading discussions that are purposeful, while also being creative, open-ended, and fun.

Your book club leader also needs time to handle the boring parts: scheduling, book orders, reminders, and research prep. Most offices don't have this person immediately on call, or they aren't willing to pull them away from their regular responsibilities. That's where I step in. You choose a title, and I take it from there.

What's the right size?

It depends on what you want out of it.

"Table for one, please." Some people want to dig deep on a personal or confidential leadership challenge. In these cases, the "book club" is a one-on-one, creative coaching session. Stuck on business modeling? Work through a novel that evokes awe for mission and explores life's purpose. Confronting a serious HR problem? Consider a philosophical treatise on just work. Feeling uncreative? Experience something weird, really weird, and see where it takes you. Enrichment adds a vitally creative lens to your learning plan.

"I want a stronger team." Take your small team or mastermind group to the next level with a literary discussion. This service is designed to pull your group out of linear, day-to-day thinking and apply a deeply creative lens. We will discuss the piece to enhance understanding, then consider its interpretation for your organization(s) and the group's work. This works well for 2 - 5 people.

"I want an engaged, collaborative staff." Bring larger groups (6 - 30 people) together for cross-functional learning. In addition to the traditional benefits of enrichment, large book clubs introduce colleagues who don't work closely and seed inclusive collaboration. These gatherings offer a safe space for everyone to have a point of view, regardless of hierarchy or seniority. This is particularly true when a third-party facilitates. Bosses can learn a lot about their cultures from these discussions!

"I want to reinforce our core values and culture." Organizations also employ book clubs to communicate shared values, support good ethics, or paint a picture of the company culture. In these cases, "book club" takes shape as an enrichment presentation with targeted discussion. This works well for groups exceeding 30 people, particularly when followed by small group discussions.